We Must Never Forget
by mariontyler
Summary: The Doctor goes back to Canary Wharf to remember a lost companion and he meets an enigmatic stranger.


Okay, so this is my very first fic, so if it's goofy at all that's why. Review and let me know what you think. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a normal day in London. Just like any other. The sun was shining through sparse clouds onto the city below. Pedestrians were rushing to make appointments and dates, too consumed with their own affairs to spend a thought on another soul or to recall just what had happened on this day 33 years ago in Earth's history.

He, however, never forgot. Every breath retold that day; that horrible day when his world was ripped from him. Every step he took reminded him that it was another step without her, his precious girl. After everything that he'd already lost, he'd figured that the universe might finally be kind and let him keep the one thing he desired.

No. All that he held dear was eventually stripped away just because it could be. What had he ever done but help and save and give all that he had to ensure the safety of all else? How could he possibly deserve so much pain? He wondered if, someday, he could just stop. If he could stop running and let the universe take its course. He would be like the Time Lords of old; always watching, never interfering.

But he couldn't do that. He cared too much. And that's why he'd picked her in the first place. Because, while he was busying himself trying to impress everyone, she'd be caring for everybody else. When he first knew her, she'd taken care of him. She had healed him when he was so, so broken. He'd loved her for that. He'd never forget her for that.

And that's exactly why he was doing what he was today. He sauntered slowly to the huge office building with a somber look on his face. He only ever came back to Canary Wharf at this part each Earth year. This would mark two years for him. Two years without her.

He would have come earlier in Earth's history, closer to the actual date, but there were so many others that lost someone that day and he didn't want to share these moments with anyone.

He found himself to be standing directly in front of the building. The sight that had actually once seemed a beautiful example of architecture, now appeared so horrid. He scowled at it as if it had been its fault that she wasn't by his side right now. Immediately before him, was a tall, dark grey stone wall with names etched into it. He knew precisely what it was that he was looking for and where. He approached the wall and scanned for her name. When he spotted it, tears came to his eyes.

Rose Marion Tyler. He zeroed in on that name, thinking of all that it meant. He took the single red rose that he had forgot he'd been carrying and laid it down at the base of the wall. He stared at her name for a few minutes, reminiscing, when a strange, yet somehow familiar voice sounded beside him.

"It's said that stone remembers, while time forgets." The Doctor turned his head to face the voice. It was a man who looked to be in his late fifties to early sixties and spoke with a Scottish accent. He wore a long black suit coat with red lining and had silver hair. He gave a small smile. "It's not always true. There are some people that time will never forget. Believe me, I know."

So much for getting these moments alone. The Doctor studied the man critically. "Do I know you?" Rude.

The stranger simply chuckled. How enigmatic, the Doctor thought. Though of course, who was he to judge?

"Who was it?" The stranger asked suddenly.

The Doctor, reluctant to speak about someone so special that he would never see again, merely replied, "A friend."

He turned gaze back to Rose's name and could feel the Scotsman's eyes burning into him. "What about you? Who did you lose?"

The man shook his head lightly. "Someone that was very special to me."

"I'm sorry." They both stayed there in silence for a moment. There was nothing else to say, really and the Doctor felt decidedly uncomfortable. He stood to leave, but the man spoke again.

"We can't forget them, you know, the ones who leave us to go on. While it hurts to recall the pain, that shouldn't mean that we can't think of them at all." The Doctor stared at him again. That is often what he would do. He would pretend that it never happened so that maybe, it wouldn't hurt as much. "Stone shouldn't ever be the only thing to remember something that means so much."

However unwillingly the Doctor was to listen to a stranger who will never feel as much pain as him, he knew he was right. "I will never forget her." And with that, he turned and strode back to the TARDIS.

As he walked back to where it was parked, he looked back to the wall where the man still stood. He saw him slip a hand in his jacket and pull out a single rose. He placed it directly next to the one he had left not ten minutes before. The Doctor gasped and wondered if it could be true.

He knew it was. Only he could know just what to say. Then he smiled. And having the assurance that he would never forget her, he stepped inside the box. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So...Watcha think? Please review and tell me!


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